Ecosystems

Question 1

Abiotic

Answer 1

Relating to non-living things.

Question 2

Biotic

Answer 2

Relating to living things.

Question 3

Consumer

Answer 3

Creature that eats herbivores and/or plant matter.

Question 4

Decomposer

Answer 4

An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead tissue, which is then recycled to the environment.

Question 5

Ecosystem

Answer 5

A community of plants and animals that interact with each other and their physical environment.

Question 6

Food Chain

Answer 6

The connections between different organisms (plants and animals) that rely on one another as their source of food.

Question 7

Food Web

Answer 7

A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other for food.

Question 8

Nutrient Cycling

Answer 8

A set of processes whereby organisms extract minerals necessary for growth from soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain – and ultimately back to the soil and water.

Question 9

Global Ecosystem

Answer 9

Very large ecological areas of the Earth’s surface (or biomes), with fauna and flora (animals and plants) adapting to their environment. Examples include tropical rainforest and hot desert.

Question 10

Producer

Answer 10

An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis.

Question 11

Types of organism

Answer 11

Producer, consumer or decomposer.

Question 12

Consumer

Answer 12

Eats other consumers or producers

Question 13

Decomposer

Answer 13

Gets energy by breaking down dead material. E.g. bacteria and fungi.

Question 14

What happens if part of an ecosystem changes?

Answer 14

Some parts of the ecosystem relies on others for a source of food or habitat.

Question 15

What determines the type of ecosystem?

Answer 15

Climate impacts the 6 types of ecosystem>

1) Tundra - high lattitudes above 60 degrees in the Nortjh, cold winters, brief summers, hardly any trees, mosses, grasses.
2) Grassland - Savannah grasslands in the tropics (distinct seasons, low rainfall) and Temperate grasslands (higher lattitudes, more temperature variation, no trees, less rainfall.
3) Temperate deciduous forest - mid lattitudes, four seasons, Summers warm, mild Winters, rainfall all year round, deciduous trees.
4) Tropical rainforest - close to Equator, hot and wet all year round, lush forest, dense canopies.
5) Polar - North and South poles. Very cold, icy, not much growth, short growing season.
6) Hot desert - Between 15 and 35 degrees North and South. Little rainfall. High variation in temperature between day and night, sandy soil, sparce vegetation.